Curtain-stretcher.



No. 668,!26. Patented Feb. I2, l90l. J. A. GEMMILL. CURTAIN STRETCHEH.

(Application filed Sept. 13, 1900.)

(No WllorlelJm L25, lm verl'for um @w uw ww ww n .adam H Wh atte JAMES ALFRED GEMMILL, UF UARLETON PLACE, CANADA.

CUHTAINWSTRETCHEH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,126, dated February 12, 1901.

Application filed September 13, 1900. Serial No. 29,861. (No modeLl t'o (MZ 107mm/ t may concern..-

Be it known that 1, JAMES ALFRED GEM- MILL, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Carleton Place, in the county of Lanark, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and use- Y["ul Improvements in Curtain-Stretchers; and l do hereby declare that the following is a `full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in` stretcher-frames especially adapted for use in stretching and drying lace curtains subsequent to washing the same, although the improved 'frame may be used in connection with any other character of curtain or for stretching and drying woolen blankets and for any other purpose of which it is capable.

The object of the invention is to provide curtain-attaching means on the several members of the frame, which means shall always be held or retained positively in position for engagement with the article and at the same time capable of a limited slidahle movement on the frame member for the purpose of engaging with the scalloped or ornamental edge of the article at points to secure the best effeet in stretching the latter.

With these ends in view theinvention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

1n the drawings forming a part of this speciiication, Figure 1 is a plan view of a stretcherframe embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of the dotted line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through one member of the stretcher-frame and illustrating the means by which a curtain-hook is slidably held in position at all times for engagement with a curtain, the plane of the section being indicated by the dotted line 3 3 on Fig. 1. Fig. e is an enlarged detail section in the plane of the dot-ted line e e on Fig. 1 through one hinged side member of the stretcheri'rame and the means for locking the jointed sections thereof immovable when in their alined relation.

The same numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The stretcher-frame consists of the side rails 10 11 and the end rails 12 13, which are adjustably connected together by the transverse bolts 14, each bolt having a thumb-nut 15. Each side rail consists of two members or sections 16 17, and the members or" each of said side rails are united together by the hingejoints 1S. The two rails 10 1l are of equal length, and the hinge-joints 18 are correspondingly placed on said members. The hinged members of the side rails are formed with the longitudinalslots 19 20, the latter extending from the hinges 18 nearly to the ends of the members. (See Fig. 1.)

The joint between the hinged members of each side rail is spanned by a coupling-plate 21, which is applied to the opposite side of the side-rail members from the hinge-joint 18. Said coupling-plate is provided at its side edges with the anges 22, which are arranged to embrace the corresponding edges or" the members forming the rail, and said coupling-plate is attached to the rail members 16 17 by the bolts 23 24., the latter having the thumb-nuts 25. It will be observed that the bolts clamp the coupling-plate iirmly to the rail members and that said coupling plate spans the joint between said hinged rail members, whereby the members 16 17 are prevented from collapsing when the side rail is extended for use. Said coupling-plate is provided in its end portions with the longitudinal slots 26, which open through the end edges of said plate and provide for the passage of the bolts 23 21 therethrough. In disconnecting the members ot' the frame one from the other preparatory to com pactly folding the frame the nuts ofthe two bolts should be loosened, and the coupling-plate may then be slid along the hinged members of the side rail until one slotted edge thereof is free from one bolt, whereby the two members 16 17 may be folded one upon the other.

The end rails l2 13 extend across the side rails, so as to rest upon the latter, said end rails having the longitudinal slots 27 2S, which are adapted to register with the slots 16 17 in said side rails, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose of passing the bolts 14 through the rails and adjustably connecting the several members of the frame together. It is evident that the side rails may be moved toward or from each otherso as to vary the width of the frame, and in like mau- IOO ner the end rails may be moved toward one another to change the length of the frame, thus adapting the frame to articles which may vary in length or width. It is furthermore evident that the bolts which hold one end rail on the two side rails maybe loosened for the purpose of kpermitting said rail to be moved awayfrom the other end rail to stretch the curtain or article endwise. Similarly the bolts which clamp one side rail to the two cross-rails may be adjusted for the side rail to move toward or from the companion side rail, whereby the article may be stretched crosswise, if desired. Again, the bolts 14 may all be removed, so as to release the sev eral parts of the frame, and by proper adjustment of the coupling-plates 21 the members of each side rail may be folded one upon the other, whereby all the members of the frame may be c ompactly placed together.

One of theimportant features of my invention resides in the means for connecting the curtain or other article to the rails of the frame. The members -16 17 of each hinged side rail are provided near their ends with the eyebolts 29 29, and to said eyebolts of the members 16 17 are secured the guide-rods 30 31, respectively, said rods being parallel tothe members of the side rail and made fast with the eyebolts 29 thereof in any suitable way. The rods 30 31 on the members of the two side rails l0 11 are arranged on the inner sides or edges of said. side rails, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) each rod being practically coextensive in length to the side rail member 011 which itissecured. The members of said side rails have the grooves or slots 33 formed in thev inner edges thereof, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3, said grooves being preferably located a little below the guiderods 30 31 and parallel therewith. A series of attachinghooks 34 is iitted on each guide-rod 30 31, each hook being provided with an eye 35 and with a stem or shank 36. I prefer to make each hook from a stout piece of Wire, which is bent or coiled one or more times to form the eye 35 at a point between the hook 34: and the shank 36; but of course the material and the method of making this hook may be varied. The eyes 35 of the series of hooks loosely fit on'the guide-rods of the rail-sections, and the shanks 36 of said hooks extend into the grooves 33 of the rail-sections, Whereby each hook is held in a position proper for engagement with the curtain or other article and the hook and its shank may slide on the rod and in the groove, respectively, for the purpose of placing the hook in the most advantageous position for engagement with a scalloped edge of a lace curtain. The series of slidable and guided curtain-hooks extend in opposite directions from the two side rails 10 11, as shown by Fig. 2, and these hooks may readily be engaged with the side edges of a blanket, curtain, or other article Which it is desired to hold in a stretched condition While it is drying.

Each end rail 12 13 has a series of screweyes 37, which support a gnide-rod 38, and each end rail has a groove similar to the groove 33 formed therein. Aseries of hooks 39 are provided with eyes and shanks similar lo the hooks 34, said hooks 39 having the eyes thereof slidably7 tted on the rod 33 of each end rail, so that the Shanks of said hooks 39 will fit in the grooves of the end rail in a manner similar-to the construction shown by liig. 3, as will be readily understood.

After the several parts of the frame shall have been assembled substantially as shown byFig. 1 the washed fabric, which may be curtain or blanket, is spread over or within the frame, so that the hooks 34 may be engaged with the side edges of the article and the hooks 39 engaging with the end edges of the article. It will be understood that the operator does not have to lift a hook in order to engage it with the article, but each hook is held in position where the article may be drawn taut more or less and engaged with the hook, although the hook itself. may be slid along the rod and the rail, so as to take a position best suited for stretching the article-such, for instance, as the scalloped edge of a lace curtain. After the fabric shall have been attached to the hooks of the frame one end rail or one side rail may be adjusted, so as to stretch the curtain to the best advantage, and the apparatus may now remain at rest or be exposed to the heat for the purpose of drying the article While it is in al stretched taut condition.

Changes within the scope of the. appended claims may be made in the form and proportion of some of the parts, while their essential features are retained and the spirit ofthe invention is embodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom. y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isi l. In a stretcher-frame, the combination of a rail provided with a guideway, a rod mounted on the rail adjacent to one face thereof, and curtain-attaching devices slidably fitted on the rod and slidably engaging with said guideway, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a stretcher-frame, the combination of a rail provided with a guideway, a rod supported on the rail, and a hook provided with an eye and with a shank, said eye fitted slid* ably on the rod and the shank engaging slidably with the guideway, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses'.

JAMES ALFRED GEMMILL.

Witnesses:

EVA LILLIAN MUNRO, J. CLARK KNOX.

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